move_email · Gmail MCP: Risk & Policy

WHAT IT DOES

What move_email does on Gmail

AI agents use move_email to create or update resources in Gmail — usually the action step of a workflow, after the agent has gathered context. Every call changes real data in your Gmail environment.

WHY IT NEEDS A POLICY

Why move_email needs a policy

The tool modifies email metadata (label assignments) without permanently deleting data. Moving emails between folders/labels is a write operation that changes state but remains reversible.

From the tool's definition Tool description states 'Move an email to a different label/folder. Removes all existing location labels' — this modifies email organization state by changing label assignments, which is reversible through moving back to original labels.

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

Recommended rule Ready

Verdict

move_email Rate-limited

move_email stays usable, but capped — an agent stuck in a loop can't make hundreds of changes a minute. Everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.

View as policy code

policy.json

{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "move_email": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "move_email_rate",
          "window": "minute",
          "max": 30,
          "scope": "grant"
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}

LIMIT THIS TOOL →

Instant setup, no code required.

PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway: every tool call is checked against your rule before it reaches Gmail, so you can run agents against it safely.

FAQ

Questions about move_email

What does the move_email tool do? +

Move an email to a different label/folder. Removes all existing location labels. It is categorised as a Write tool in the Gmail MCP Server, which means it can create or modify data. Consider rate limits to prevent runaway writes.

How do I enforce a policy on move_email? +

Register the Gmail MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for move_email: allow, deny, rate-limit, or require approval. Point your MCP client at the PolicyLayer proxy URL and the rule is enforced on every call, before it reaches Gmail. Nothing to install.

What risk level is move_email? +

move_email is a Write tool with medium risk. Write tools should be rate-limited to prevent accidental bulk modifications.

Can I rate-limit move_email? +

Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the move_email rule in your PolicyLayer policy. For example, setting max: 10 and window: 60 limits the tool to 10 calls per minute. Rate limits are tracked per agent session and reset automatically.

How do I block move_email completely? +

Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for move_email. The AI agent will receive a policy violation error and cannot call the tool. You can also include a reason field to explain why the tool is blocked.

What MCP server provides move_email? +

move_email is provided by the Gmail MCP server (ndungukamami-sketch/gmail-mcp-server). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.